Rule change boosts N.Z. squash Open attendance

Press, 25 August 1988, Page 24

Rule change boosts N.Z. squash Open attendance

NZPA London The New Zealand Squash Open has more entries this year because players have to play more tournaments, not because of under-the-table payments or heavy promotion, said the chairman of the International Squash Players’ Association, Mr Stuart Davenport. The former top Kiwi professional, now working as a sports, marketing consultant in Spain, said the I.S.P.A. decided early this year to lift the minimum number of tournaments from 10 to 14,

starting in 1989. The move followed complaints from the New Zealand association and others that there was not enough support for far-flung events, he said. Reports from New Zealand suggesting that record overseas entries for the Open this year could be put down to illegal appearance money or extra efforts made by the promoters missed the point. “The simple fact is that the players have to get 14 games up by January Ist,” Mr Davenport said. “It’s a move made by

I.S.P.A. and we’re starting to see the effects of it now,” he said.

Mr Davenport, who retired from the game after last year’s world team championships in London, cites the Singapore Open as evidence for his claim.

Next month’s event, which attracted just three of the world’s top 10 male players in 1987, this year has all 10. “So it’s not just New Zealand,” he said. “We (1.5.P.A.) are determined to take credit for this,” Mr Davenport said.